brown butter Archives | butter loves company

brown butter cookie dough dip

August 21, 2015 by Butter Loves Company

This brown butter cookie dough dip brings me right back to slumber parties as a kid and one of my greatest culinary triumphs…But I’ll get to that in a minute. During these epic sleepovers, my friends and I would watch scary movies, eat junk food, and film ourselves quoting our favorite movies and making comedy sketches with a camcorder the size of an toaster oven.

Our ‘short films’ were essentially all bloopers. We would watch the tapes back and howl into the early morning about how off our attempted-British accents were. We would write embarrassing things in journals (that I still have, thank goodness!) and mastered our ‘pretending to be asleep’ skills when my parents would tell us to go to bed. Sound familiar to anyone?

We were 90’s kids with no cell phones, limited Internet, and wild imaginations that led us to some great ideas. In my opinion, the most impressive idea we had (Here’s the promised culinary triumph.) was to dip chocolate bars into tubs of frosting. Yes, you read that right. And yes, we did it. We were living the life!

The minute I saw that cookie dough dip was a thing, I was transported right back to those frosting dip nights. Just as chocolate bars dipped in buttercream was, cookies dipped in cookie dough dip is decadence to the core: creamy, sweet, and (if you do it like I do) sprinkled with crunchy chocolate chips and buttery toffee bits. Whether you choose to serve this with cookies, graham crackers, sliced apples, or chocolate bars—for old times’ sake—there is no question that this dip is a perfect party treat.

To up the flavor profile, we’re browning the butter in this recipe first. It’s going to add a little more nutty, caramelized flavor to the entire dip. Is it obvious that I love brown butter? (See: brown butter cinnamon sugar pull apart bread and brown butter banana bread).

Anyways, if you start making this cookie dough dip now, you can have this dip on your table in 20 minutes. Just in time for the festivities you may have in store this weekend. How easy is that?

Party perfect brown butter cookie dough dip: creamy, sweet, and sprinkled with crunchy chocolate chips and buttery toffee bits. Serve with cookies, graham crackers, sliced apples!

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brown butter cinnamon sugar pull-apart bread

March 10, 2015 by Butter Loves Company

WARNING: This is the kind of bread you can easily polish off in a single sitting. The second you peel the first layer of this buttery sweet dough off the loaf and smell the warm cinnamon sugar filling, your other hand will already be reaching for your next piece. Maybe it’s best if you keep some friends around to share. Or, be greedy and have it all—I would. You won’t even need to waste time slicing because this is homemade PULL-APART bread. Hands-on food is fun. Nothing like instant gratification.

I love making breads and things with yeasted dough. It makes me feel like a superwoman because I used to think only professional bakers could work bread magic (for one of my favorite yeasted dough recipes, see here). Just take a look at the layers completely transform before and after baking. It’s amazing! It’s like a science experiment in the kitchen and, man, it makes me just love science. I hope you will too.

While there are few combinations better than the simple cinnamon and sugar, you can get as weird as you want with this pull-apart bread recipe. Maybe toss in some chocolate chips … or raspberries … or even go savory and swap out the cinnamon sugar for olives and cheese. Whatever you do, you’d better get ready for carb satisfaction!

P.S. This bread pairs excellently with a Bloody Mary. We had to test, you know, to be sure. 🙂

brown butter cinnamon sugar pull-apart bread
recipe adapted from joy the baker

prep time: 30 minutes
cook time: 35 minutes
total time: about 3 hours (includes time for dough to rise)
makes: one 9x5x3-inch loaf

Ingredients:

For the Dough:
2 1/4 teaspoons (1 envelope) active dry yeast
3 tablespoons warm water (between 105°F and 115°F)
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar, plus a pinch (divided)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 ounces unsalted butter
1/3 cup whole milk
1/4 cup water
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the Filling:
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
2 ounces unsalted butter, melted until browned

Instructions:

Activate your yeast: In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast over 3 tablespoons of warm water. Stir until the yeast begins to dissolve. Add the pinch of granulated sugar and allow the mixture to sit for about 5 minutes, until the mixture is foamy and frothy.
Prepare the dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, whisk together 2 cups flour, 1/4 cup sugar and salt. Set aside.
In a small saucepan, melt together milk and butter until butter has just melted. Remove from the heat and add water and vanilla extract. Let mixture stand for a minute or two, or until the mixture registers 115°F to 125°F.
Pour the milk mixture into the dry ingredients and mix on low until combined. Add the yeast mixture, followed by the eggs and stir until the eggs are incorporated into the batter. It may take a little while to come together. Add 3/4 cup of the remaining flour and mix on low for about 2 minutes. The mixture will be sticky.
Place the dough in a large, greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm space to rest until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Make ahead: After you let the dough rise to double its size, it can be refrigerated overnight to use in the morning. If you’re using this method, let the dough rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before continuing the recipe.
Prepare the filling: While the dough rises, whisk together the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside. Melt 2 ounces of butter until browned. Set aside. Grease and flour a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan. Set aside.
Assemble and bake: Deflate the risen dough and knead about 2 tablespoons of flour into the dough. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rest for 5 minutes. On a lightly floured work surface, use a rolling pin to roll out the dough. The dough should be about 12-inches tall and about 20-inches long. Use a pastry brush to spread the melted brown butter across all of the dough. Sprinkle with all of the cinnamon and sugar mixture.
Slice the dough vertically, into six equal-sized strips. Stack the strips on top of one another and slice the stack into six equal slices once again so you are left with six stacks of six squares. Layer the dough squares on their sides in the loaf pan. Place a kitchen towel over the loaf pan and allow to rest in a warm place for 30 to 45 minutes or until almost doubled in size.
Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Place loaf in the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is very golden brown. You will want to make sure the dough in the center is cooked so don’t be nervous if the top reaches a deep golden brown. That’s what you’re looking for.
Remove from the oven and allow the loaf to cool for 20 to 30 minutes before running a knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the bread and invert onto a platter. Serve warm.

brown butter banana bread, with crumble

June 11, 2014 by Butter Loves Company

I’m going to go out on a limb and say no one ever plans to make banana bread. I mean, no one ever goes to the grocery store to pick the brownest, most-speckled bananas on the display for the sole purpose of baking moist, delicious breakfast bread . . . Right?

Wrong!

Yesterday I found myself digging through the mounds of bananas at the grocery store, trying to find the most over-ripe, dumpster-bound ’nanners they had. You see, I’ve recently been stockpiling smoothie supplies, which has left me with lots of browning bananas—the byproduct of which has been excessive amounts of banana bread. So when I noticed I had one of these Dalmation-spotted bananas left in the fruit bowl this week, I didn’t want it to go to waste. And that brings us back to yesterday and the aforementioned produce section scavenge. (Disregard the fact that I didn’t want one thing to go to waste, so I went out and bought TWO MORE THINGS. My logic is sensational.)

When I got home, I thought about how—despite having made lots of banana breads in the past—I had never really found the one. Each result was pretty typical: moist, slightly sweet, lightly spiced, even-crumbed banana-y cake. Not sweet enough, too sweet, too dull, too crazy, clingy, not clingy enough . . . wait, ugh, oh right, the bread! This time I wanted to up the banana bread ante so my natural thought process looked a little like free association:

Bananas (duh)! Banana Bread (keep)! Bread! Bread and Butter! Butter! Brown Butter (ohh, yeaahh)! Butter on Pancakes! Banana Pancakes (Jack Johnson?)! Breakfast! Coffee cake (interesting . . .)! Streusel (of course)!

Sweet banana bread with a nutty depth from brown butter and a crunchy cinnamon sugar topping sounded like exactly what I needed and, I would argue, you need it too. If you’re intimidated by the sound of brown butter, stop that. You can do it. You’ll literally just heat the butter until it starts to crackle and foam. Once the crackling subsides, it will start turning golden and you’re in business! So . . . Run! Get to the store, before all the brown bananas run out!!

brown butter banana bread, with crumble
adapted from Joy the Baker

Prep Time: 30 minutes (includes browning and cooling butter)
Cook Time: 45–55 minutes
Total Time: about 1 hour 25 minutes
Makes 1 9 x 5 loaf

Ingredients:

1½ sticks (6 oz.) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-sized pieces (we will brown this in step one; it will result in a little over ½ cup brown butter)
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 large eggs, room temperature
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ cup well shaken buttermilk (mine was straight from the fridge cold)
1½ cups very ripe bananas, mashed (about 3 medium bananas)

Topping:
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup all-purpose flour
¾ cups roughly chopped walnuts (optional)
2 tablespoons (¼ stick) unsalted butter, cold and cut into ½ pieces
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt

Instructions:

In a small saucepan with a small heatproof bowl nearby, melt the butter—stirring constantly until all of the pieces have melted. About 30 seconds after the butter melts completely, it will begin to bubble and foam. You will hear crackling sounds. Continue to stir constantly. As the foam and crackling begins to subside stir constantly while paying attention to the color and smell of the butter. As soon as it gives off a nutty smell and starts turning light brown take it off the heat to prevent it from burning. Then, quickly, but carefully, pour into the small heatproof bowl. Allow the brown butter to cool at room temp (or in the fridge if you’re in a pinch) while you prepare the rest of the bread.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F with a rack in the center. Grease a 9 x 5 inch bread pan or similar sized baking dish.
Prepare the crumble: In a small bowl combine the sugar, flour, walnuts (if using), butter, cinnamon and salt. Use your hands to mix together until the butter begins to stick to the other ingredients to make chunks. Some of the mixture will stay powdery, and that’s okay. Set aside.
Prepare the bread: In a large bowl—or the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment—whisk together flour, white and brown sugars, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, vanilla extract and buttermilk. Add the mashed bananas and then the cooled brown butter.
With the mixer on low speed, add half of the egg mixture into the flour mixture and mix until combined. Add the second half of the egg mixture and mix on low until just combined. Be careful not to over mix.
Spread half of the bread batter into the prepared baking pan. Sprinkle ⅓ of the crumble on top of the batter. Top with remaining half of bread batter, using a knife or spoon to spread if needed. Top evenly with the rest of the crumb topping.
Bake bread for 45–55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to rest in the pan for 15 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy warm or at room temperature for up to 4 days.